Clothesline reel



April 21, 1953 M. B. LACY CLOTHESLINE REEL Filed April 11, 1952 F/G.. i.

- Ll-l INVENTOR M406 3 4403, BY

nrrolelvsYsn Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to clothesline reels and more particularly to a reel for supporting a clothesline when not in use and for tightening the clothesline when in use.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved clothesline reel on which the clothesline can be wound for storage when not in use and which can be used to stretch the line when the latter is in use; which includes a bracket adapted to be permanently mounted on a supporting structure, such as a post, and a spool that can be removed from the bracket with the clothesline wound thereon; which is easy to operate to wind or tighten the associated clothesline; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to install, and neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a clothesline reel illustrative of the invention;

. Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the reel illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the reel; and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

With continued reference to the drawing, the reel comprises a rectangular U-shaped bracket, generally indicated at I0, and a spool of cylindrical shape, generally indicated at H, rotatably mounted on the bracket 10. The bracket I has spaced apart and substantially parallel legs l2 and I3 of elongated, rectangular cross sectional shape coterminously arranged and a bight or intermediate portion I4 also of elongated, rectangular cross sectional shape extending between and interconnecting the legs 12 and I3 at one end of the bracket. The legs are so disposed that their major cross sectional dimension extends transversely of the intermediate portion l4 and this portion is provided withspaced apart apertures receiving fasteners, such as the bolts [5, which secure the bracket to a fixed support, such as the post [6, to extend perpendicularly from one side of the post with the top edges of the legs and the intermediate portion of the bracket substantially horizontally disposed.

The legs l2 and I3 are provided intermediate their lengths with notches l1 and I8 respectively which extend from the top edges of the legs inwardly of the corresponding legs and are inclined in a direction away from the intermediate portion I4. These notches have spaced apart and substantially parallel side edges and rounded inner ends of substantially semi-circular shape, as shown in Figure 3.

The spool H is shown as a length of tubing of cylindrical shape and of a length greater than the distance between the legs l2 and I3 or the bracket. This spool is received in the notches H and I8 and extends at its ends beyond the outer sides of the bracket legs I 2 and I3 and can be lifted out of the notches for removal from the bracket when desired.

The spool l I has apertures extending diametrically therethrough and disposed one at the outer side of each of the bracket legs, one at the inner side of each of the bracket legs, one substantially midway between the bracket legs and one between the last-mentioned aperture and one of the bracket legs and adapted to receive one end of an associated clothesline 20 wound on the spool I I. The apertures at the outer and inner side of each of the bracket legs are disposed substantially at right angles to each other and rods 2| and 22 extend through the apertures at the outer sides of the bracket legs while corresponding rods 23 and 24 extend through the apertures at the inner sides of the bracket legs l2 and I 3 respectively. The rods are fixed in substantially centered relationship relative to the spool H and the rods 2| and 22 have their longitudinal center lines substantially in a common plane which also includes the longitudinal center line of the spool I I while the rods 23 and 24 have their center lines substantially in a common plane which also includes the longitudinal center line of the spool i l and is substantially perpendicular to the plane including the center lines of the rods 2| and 22.

An elongated handle 25 of rod-like shape extends slidably through the aperture in the spool ll disposed substantially midway between the bracket legs and has enlargements 26 and 21 at its respectively opposite ends to restrain it from slipping entirely out of the spool.

A rod or bolt 28 extends between the bracket legs l2 and I3 between the spool l l and the intermediate portion of the bracket but nearer the bracket intermediate portion than the spool and is secured to the legs by extending through apertures in the legs. This bolt has a head 29 on one end and a nut 30 threaded on its other end, the head and the nut being at the outer sides of the corresponding bracket legs.

The handle or lock bolt 25 engages with the transverse rod or bolt 28, as illustrated in Figure 1, to hold the spool H against rotation relative to the bracket.

A pin 3| is secured in and projects radially from the spool adjacent one end of the latter to provide a means for easily turning the spool to wind the clothesline thereon. The pin 3| may be grasped by a wrench or other suitable tool to facilitate turning the spool H, if necessary or, the spool may be provided at its ends with suitable formations which can be engaged by a wrench or which may be used to receive a suitable crank- The invention may be. embodied in othenspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present. embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the

scope of the invention being indicated by the.

appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which. come: within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A clothesline reel comprising: a- U-shaped bracket having; spaced apart legs of elongated rectangular cross sectional shape. and an intermediate portion interconnectin said legs at one end of the bracket and provided with apertures to receive screw fastenersfor attaching said bracket toa supporting structure, each of said legs having a notch extending transversely thereof from the longitudinal edge thereof at one side of said bracket with said. notches similarly inclined in a direction away from said intermediate 3 portion and saidone sideof said bracket and each of said notches having substantially parallelside edges and a rounded inner end, a spool of cylindrical shape extending transversely of the-space between said bracket legs and received in said notches, said spool having diametrically disposed apertures therein disposed one t the outer side of each bracket leg, one at the inner side of each bracket leg, one substantially mid way between said bracket legs and one between the last-mentioned aperture and one of" saidbracket legs and adapted to receive one end' of a clothesline, the apertures at theinner andouter sides ofeach bracket" leg being disposed substantially at right angles to each other, rods extend-- ing; one through each' of said apertures at the inner and outer sides of said bracket legsand fixed in substantially centered relationship rela-- tive' to said spool, an elongated handle extending slid'abl'ythrought-he aperture disposed substantia'lly midway between said bracket legsyand a. rod extending between and secured to saidbracket legs between said spool and said inter-- mediate portion of" the bracket for engaging said handle and holding said spool against rotation relative tosaid bracket.

2. A clothesline reel comprising a U-shaped bracket having spaced apart legs of elongatedrectangular cross sectional shape" and anintermediate portion interconnecting said legs at one end of the bracket and provided withapertures to receive screw fasteners for attaching saidbracket to a supporting structure, each of said legshaving a notch extendingtransversely thereof from the longitudinal edge thereof at one side of said bracket with said notches similarly in clinedin a direction away from said intermediate portion and said onesideof said bracket, aispo'olof cylindrical shape extending transversely of the-space between said bracket legs-andreceived in said notches, said spool having diametrically disposed apertures therein disposed one at theouter side of each bracket; leg; one at the inner side of each bracket-leg, one substantially micl- Ill .4 way between said bracket legs and one between the last-mentioned aperture and one of said bracket legs and adapted to receive one end of a clothesline, the apertures at the inner and outer sides of each bracket leg being disposed substantially at right angles to each other, rods extending one through each. oi. said. apertures at the inner and outer sides of said bracket legs and fixed in substantially centered relationship relative to said spool, an elongated handle extending slidably through the aperture disposed substantially midway between said bracket legs, a rod. extending between and secured to said bracket legs between said spool and said interr mediate portion of the bracket for engaging said handle and holdin said spool against rotation relativeto said bI'aCkGt and a formation on one end of said spool for receiving a suitable tool for rotating said spool relative. to said bracket.

3; A clothesline r-eel comprising a U-shaped racket having. spaced apart legs of elongated rectangular cross sectional shape and aninter me'diat'e portion interconnecting. said legs' at one end of the bracket and: provided with apertures to: receive screw fasteners for attaching said bracket to: a supporting. structure, each of said" legs having a notch extendin transversely thereof from the longitudinal" edge thereof-- at one side of said. bracket" and inclined? in a direc' tion away from said intermediate portion and said; one side of said bracket, a spool of cylindrical= shape extending transversely of the space between said bracket legs and received in said notches, said spool having'di'ametrically disposed apertures therein disposed one eachat'the outer side of each bracket" leg, one each at the inner side of each bracket leg, one substantiallymidway: between said bracket legs and one betweenthe last-mentioned aperture. and one of said bracket legs and adapted toreceive-one end of a clothesline, the apertures at the inner and out-- ersides ofeach bracket leg being disposed substantially at right angles toeach: other, rods'extending one through each of" said apertures at the inner and outer sides of said bracket legs and fixed in substantially centered relationship relative to saidspool, an elongated handle eX-- tending slid'ably through the aperture disposed substantially midway'between said bracket legs, and a rod extending between and secured to said bracket legs between said spool andsaid intermediateportion of thebracket for engaging saidhandle and holding said spool against rotation" relative to said bracket, said bracket being of rectangularshape with the major cross sectional dimension of said legs extending transversely of" said intermediate portion and said spool comprising a tubular body of cylindrical shape having a length greater than the distance between the: outer sides of said bracket legs.

MACIQB. LACY.

References. Cited inthe file of this. patent.

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 390;?337 Bryant et' all Oct. 9, 1888" 473,899 Ber-den May 3', 1892' 71337 30 Willm-arth Nov. 18,1902 885,210 Wrench Apr..21, 19.08

1,252,645" Baler et a1. Jan. 8, 1918 2,348,487 McKay etal. May 9,1944 214513389 Howe; Oct; 12; 1948 2;496,249 Lawrence Jan; 3 1, 1950* 

